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Basque Oral History Project Index Interview Tape Index
NAME: Julie Gogenola
Pagoaga
TAPE MINUTE SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Side 1
0-6:00 Julie’s parents were Saturnino “Sy” Gogenola, born at the Gogenola baserri (means “wood on top”) in Gogo, Spain; and her mother was Mercedes Julie Anchustegui, from Lekeitio. Her mother was the second of 5 children. Mercedes’ father, Matias Anchustegui came to the US to make a living, but came back to Euskadi every year or so, and his wife became pregnant every time until 5 children were born. Finally, he decided to bring some back with him to America, and his only son and oldest daughter Justa accompanied him. Unfortunately, his wife died, leaving Mercedes and her 2 sisters alone in Lekeitio. Matias arranged for his sister to sell his assets to pay for the girls’ transatlantic voyage, but she kept the money instead and forced the girls to work in different houses. Finally, Matias earned enough money to pay for his remaining children to come to the US, but they had to do so alone. Mercedes—at 18, the eldest—was responsible for her 2 sisters, but the voyage was not a pleasant one, since she had never traveled before. They made it through Ellis Island, then took a train to Chicago, where they were to change trains. While she was trying to pay a porter, another porter attempted to pickpocket her, so Mercedes knocked him out. The girls finally made it Shoshone, ID, where they were met by their father. The year was about 1917 (Matias had come in 1910). Julie’s father was one of 7 children born to a family with only a small farm, so his parent sent him to the US to earn money to be sent home. Saturnino did this successfully until his marriage, and was later joined by some of his brothers (the remaining ones sold off the farm and divided the profits without sharing them with their departed brothers).
6-8:30 Julie’s mother was a smart girl, and so suffered from her initial inability to express herself effectively in English. After Mercedes and Saturnino were married, they went to work for Ben Darrah and Ed Gooding, 2 big sheep ranchers in Jerome, and began having children. The family sent their children to the little school down the road, and as they began to learn English, the parents learned from them. Mercedes was a very quick learner, and was soon able to read newspapers. Saturnino progressed more slowly since he was often out with the sheep. He admitted that English was a very difficult language to learn, and once, thinking that his coworkers from Minnesota were from another country, marveled at their fluidity! He was a camp tender, responsible for preparing the meals and cleaning up after them, among other things.
8:30-17:30 Julie was born in 1923, on the farm 8 miles north of Shoshone. Mercedes (called Mildred by the Americans) was a short woman of slightly under 5 feet, and Julie was a big baby of 12 pounds—the doctor was impressed. The foreman had fetched the doctor from town. The family always spoke Basque at home, but thought it was disrespectful to do so when they went to town, since nobody there could understand them. She went to a country school where there were only about 6 students in each grade, but since she had learned quite a bit about English from her older sisters, Julie was able to skip the 2nd grade. She graduated at 16. Her siblings are Joe (who had bad asthma, prompting the family to move to town, but eventually became vice president of a big Denver aeronautics factory, only to die of a heart attack at an early age), Maria (married a Jewish man and moved to Seattle, then California, but died inexplicably after having 2 children), Ruth (who helped Julie work at a Ketchum bar where their mother served beer during the summers, but who died one summer at the age of 13 of a ruptured appendix—the doctor had given her a laxative), Jesusa “Jessie” (who has spinal meningitis as a toddler and was completely deaf, but who graduated from college regardless and married a deaf man in California). The older siblings learned quickly and helped Julie prepare herself for school. The family spoke English at home until everyone had learned (except Jessie).
17:30-25:00 Julie discusses how her mother learned to brew and sell her own beer. She would sell it to the people whose houses she cleaned. This extra income helped support the family, and years later allowed her to purchase a house in Jerome (in 1939). Julie describes the Basques in Shoshone: they all knew each other, but rarely saw each other out of church or the occasional boarding house events (such as at the Oneida’s or Berriochoa’s). Her husband’s family later had a boarding house for a time. Any Basque dance was a very informal affair. Marion Oneida, who was not a Basque but married to one, began teaching dancing in Shoshone once Julie was grown, and a Basque dance group was formed. Julie remembers helping make the costumes for her daughters. There were no major Basque holidays or festivals—life on the farm was more work than fun. Once Julie was in the third grade, the family moved into a little house in downtown Shoshone (this is when her mother started making the beer—the night marshal was her best customer), but Julie transferred to Jerome High School 2nd semester of her senior year and graduated from there. The Gogenolas were very family-oriented, and so they had few callers at the house. Julie remembers that she was one of the few Basque girls in town who actually spoke the language. She lists a few of the other families: Berriochoa, Oneida (related by marriage), Guerricabeitia, Berrenacia. Basque and non-Basque children had no problem socializing with each, because they all had poverty in common.
25-30:00 Julie recalls helping her older siblings through college by working at her mother’s boarding house until she was married. Her husband Joe Pagoaga was from Shoshone, and owned the Conoco gas station in town for 34 years, and was even mayor of the town in 1953. Julie graduated from high school in 1940, at which point she began working in the house. The busiest time of the year was summer, and since the Gogenola place was one of the only Basque establishments in Jerome (and certainly the largest), it was very popular. There was a dance hall in the brick building with a nickelodeon, and the house hosted many dances. Julie’s mother also made delicious chorizos, a skill which Julie herself practiced until her husband’s death. She is immensely proud of her Basque heritage, and belongs to the Gooding association, but is irritated when she sees people capable of communicating in Basque talking in Spanish at the meetings.
Side 2
0-6:30 Julie was married in 1944, and although he was a Basque man, she declares she never felt any pressure to wed him for that reason. In fact, it was Joe’s family who did not think much of Julie! He was over 12 years older than she, and there was another Basque girl in town who was better educated—Joe’s sister did not come to the wedding. The couple ended up being very happy. Julie’s children are Dan (1947), Jim (adopted in 1949 after another baby had miscarried and doctors told Julie more children would be impossible), Tim (born, to everyone’s surprise and joy, 4 months after Jim’s adoption), Ted (a social worker), and Julie Mercedes “Mertxe”. As they were growing up, the family spoke mostly English, though Dan speaks a little Basque. They have always been proud of their cultural heritage, however, and loved stories about their ancestors, dancing, and food.
6:30-9:30 Julie has taken 3 trips to the Basque country, since she was always keen on seeing her parents’ homeland. Her husband never wanted to go, but was happy sending her. She went with large Boise groups each time, and brought Mertxe the 3rd time. Julie has worked as a waitress for a year at the Manhattan Café in Shoshone, then for insurance companies for 12 years. Julie identifies herself as an American Basque.
NAMES AND PLACES
NAMES:
Anchustegui, Matias:
Julie’s grandfather
PLACES:
California THEMES:
Adoption |
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